2012 Republican Budget Proposal Passes Committee

Washington, DC
Wednesday, April 6, 2011

Full House vote likely next week

The House Budget Committee passed the Republican's fiscal year 2012 budget Wednesday evening.
After a day long committee session that lasted into the evening, Rep. Paul Ryan's (R-WI) budget was voted out of committee (22 – 16) along party lines without any major changes.
Democrats offered nearly two dozen amendments in an attempt to restore money for government programs ranging from food safety inspectors to Medicare. Their efforts fell short as Republicans, who outnumber Democrats, successfully blocked attempted changes.
Rep. Paul Ryan's budget cuts $5 trillion dollars - a figure tabulated by the Associated Press - over the next decade by bringing non-security discretionary spending to 2008 levels, reforming Medicare by offering government-subsidized private insurance options and reforming Medicaid through state block grants.
Specifically, Rep. Ryan obtains most savings through four major programs. Over the next decade, his plan would cut Medicaid by $735 billion, Medicare by $389 billion, non-security discretionary spending by $923 billion and health care spending by $1.4 trillion by repealing health care reform.
He says his plan brings government spending to 20% GDP by 2015.  (Last year, spending was 23.8% GDP.)  Rep. Ryan's proposal also reduces revenue by $1.8 trillion over the next ten years by reforming the tax code and capping tax rates at 25%.
Rep. Chris Van Hollen, ranking member of the committee, said a Democratic alternative would be available by the time the House votes on the Republican proposal, which is expected to be next week.

Updated: 5 hr., 8 min. ago